Computer-assisted learning

Computer-Assisted Learning (CAL) has been used as an educational tool for nearly twenty years. Its potential as a valuable supplement or replacement for traditional methods of instruction has been widely acknowledged; the realization of its potential has remained less than complete. CAL has been used with varying degrees of success in many areas of education, including public school education, university courses, distance education, vocational training, in college environments, and in-house industrial training.

Computer Aided Learning describes an educational environment where a computer program, or an application as they are commonly known, is used to assist the user in learning a particular subject.

The key issue is the word assist, which means that the program is not alone in this aim and that there are other methods involved. CAL refers to an overall integrative approach of instructional methods and is actually part of the bigger picture. When used in this context CAL describes an integrated approach to teaching a subject in which learning technology forms a part and which only comes about after re-assessment of the current teaching methods.

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This is Computer Aided Learning - in that the computer, being a program of some sort, is an aid to an overall learning strategy - which in itself is a conglomeration of other methods of instruction, (e. g. the lecture, tutorial sheets, text books etc. ). Many see Computer Assisted Learning (CAL), as a supplement to regular instruction, as a possible way to improve the quality of education in developing countries. Good educational software can be reproduced at nominal cost, and well-designed educational games can sustain interest and curiosity even in an otherwise dull school environment.

Many local governments have started providing computers in schools. Computers have the potential to both directly improve learning and indirectly increase attendance by making school more attractive. Controlled experiments have demonstrated that a good CAL program can achieve the same results as a good teacher, often in less time. Anything, which a teacher might want, to say to a group of students can be represented by a properly constructed CAL program in a variety of different ways.

It is also a fact that properly constructed CAL packages have the capacity to diversify the learning experience and to enhance the effectiveness of other educational resources. Practise can be anytime the hardware is available, and at any place where the software can be accessed. A teacher can only be contacted at certain limited times of a day or evening. Self-evidently, a student could work through CAL sequences at any time during the opening hours of the school. Additionally, if telephone access to a mainframe facility is possible, schools and colleges might rent out a suitable modem for access outside opening hours.

Another issue that CAL contributes to the learning process is that the students get the same basic instruction, and there can be no doubt about what is being taught. Current lecture/tutorial system requires that the students are supplied with a good initiating product, i. e. Lecture notes or handouts and recommended textbooks. It is impossible to guarantee that every student has the funds to buy the required books. If CAL is utilised, students can always be given a copy of the work that they have undertaken. In the event of loss, the student can always return to the system for a new copy.

CAL enhances the role of the teacher or tutor, freeing such persons from the chore of routine instruction, exercise setting and marking, and allows giving more individual guidance and special help. This cannot be achieved in the traditional classroom format. Further, if the students takes tests or exams at his or her own work station, the results can be given immediately, without having to wait for marking. Furthermore, a CAL package requires student to make an active response to each unit, which contrasts sharply with the more passive role in reading a book.

As well as that, the student can be given immediate feedback on performance. Also, each student is free to work at his or her own speed. CAL saves the teacher and the student from long arithmetical calculations. By allowing the computer to perform such tasks, both teacher and student are free to concentrate on more important issues. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our University Degree Teaching section.